Lerme, Italy
Our friends, the Brooks Family, took Manny on his first journey. It was to Italy, his favourite country, and appropriately a place for coffee.
Groningen, Holland
The final place that the Brooks Family took Manny was in this beautiful park in Groningen, Holland. As a child, I can just imagine him taking these 3 cyclists down as he would weave and dodge precariously on his bike. He could be a crazy daredevil, especially when he had the training wheels to keep balanced.
Robe, South Australia
Manny's second family, the Pathaks, finally took him to Robe. A favourite spot of theirs where they often invited him to holiday with them. Sadly, he never made it until now.
Gaillarde, French Riviera, France
The next place the Brooks family visited with Manny was this beautiful beach. Beaches feature strongly in our family's shared experiences, as we came together each year at Cape Paterson, our boys playing together on the beach.
Kyoto, Japan
Cousins Dom and Christian took Manny to Japan, home of the samurai. Manny would approve!
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Manny's friends Zac and Jack spread his ashes at the beach. They, together with his hockey team, remembered Manny on their MUHC tour, wearing pink in their game, with the honour of the pink 3 shirt going to the best off field performance- Manny's number. Thank you.
Siem Riep, Cambodia
Dermott Tutty, Manny's very dear choir instructor and musical inspiration and accompanist, took him to Cambodia.
Lillehammer, Norway
Thank you to my dear friend and colleague, Gillian, who took Manny the farthest away yet, leaving this little bird rock for him on the top of a mountain. Manny, like me, was a hopeless skier, but loved the snow and embraced the awkward crashes and limbs bent in weird directions. He would have loved this place. Thank you
Lucky Bay, West Australia
Our dear friend and colleague, Rosie, sought out the most beautiful beach in Australia, with sands so white and sky ... well, usually SO blue.
Enoshima, Japan
Manny's sparring partner in aikido and dear friend, Sayuka, took him to Japan.
Strawberry Fields, Central Park, New York
Our dear friend Shaarn, with her beautiful son, Che, took Manny to New York. They sprinkled him here in Central Park. He walked there once himself, a long long time ago.
Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
One of Manny's oldest friends, Sophie took him to this park, playing Holst's Jupiter as she walked (Holst was one of the first 'serious pieces they played at BMC). Sloths, butterflies, birds, and now this beautiful man. All there. Manny's middle name is 'Antonio', after his Nonno.
Istanbul, Turkey
My dear friend and colleague, Polly, took Manny to Istanbul. It was here that I ate my first ever fresh fig, a favourite that I shared with Manny (who was much better at climbing the tree than me).
Thank you Polly.
Timor L'Este
Manny's music mentor, Melinda, took him to this beautiful spot. He would have loved to visit too.
Mount of St Michael, UK
Off Cornwall at the bottom of England, is this dramatic castle on a dramatic island. Spectacular. Thank you dear neighbours Joe and Nicky: you've shared so many adventures through lockdowns, Halloween parties, Gingerbread competitions and exchanges over the fence, thank you for taking him on this adventure.
Paris, France
Sam Negri and his mum, Shelley took Manny to Paris. They first decided on the park then later realised that it was a place dedicated to a musical family, the Casadesus family. I once played a beautiful viola concerto by Casadesus.
Thank you Shelley and Sam, this is a pretty place for Manny. I can imagine him sitting in the sunshine here, listening to the sounds of Paris. He never got there.
Bondi, NSW, Australia
Manny had visited Bondi with his friends Clem and Sylvie. He and Luca treasured the soft turtles they bought at the aquarium that day. I still have them.
Niagra Falls, Canada
Dominic and Sandra, Manny's uncle and aunt, too him to the Niagara Falls. He never journeyed to this part of the world himself, preferring the 'old world' romanticism of Europe. I like to imagine that as he grew and matured, places like this would have been where he went. Thank you guys.
Emilio Giancola
Sandra's beautiful father, Emilio, rests here in the Mount Saint Joseph Cemetery, Port Colborne, Canada. Emilio was a warm, funny, gentle man and I am so glad Manny rests with him. Thank you Sange.
Austria
Childhood friend, Erin, took Manny on her trip to Europe. She chose this beautiful mountain in Austria to leave him. It reminds me a lot of where I studied in Klagenfurt. I visited with Manny in warmer times.
Wellington River
Lorenzo and I walked the trail to Lake Tali Kargn along the Wellington River. Every corner we turned on the river was another perfect hole. 'Just one more hole, there are definitely fish in this one,' I heard my Dad say each time. Manny enjoyed the fishing and outdoors, sometimes I wished he could be my brother and experience camping as we did growing up.
Where the Otter River meets the English Channel
Primary school friends, Jim, Meg, Liam and Erin have had their fair number of adventures with Manny, from chilly Port Fairy to humid Port Vila.
Venice
Manny's best mate Zac took him to Venice. A place that Manny and I visited on our European trip. It is a magical city and Manny is forever there.
BMC, Albury NSW
Border Music Camp in Albury, NSW is a highlight of each year. The joy in music, friendship and exploration is matched with a very particular and quirky humour that is an acquired taste. Manny LOVED it and I do too. One in-joke was the rule "DON"T WALK ON THE ORNAMENTAL GRASS'. This is where I spread his ashes.
Bondi, Sydney
Looking out over the ocean on a quiet cliff in Bondi, Manny was in the thoughts of the beautiful composer, musician, and person, Ella. Ella never knew Manny, but nonetheless has created the most beautiful music that holds him gently.
Mount Pilatus, Switzerland
High above Lake Lucern, this mountain has the world's steepest cog railway. Scary. Luca took a break from the music of the Lucern Festival and took Manny to the very top.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Lisbon, Portugal
Uncle Dom and Aunty Sandra took Manny to Portugal. When visiting this gallery, one exhibition in particular grabbed them. It was a photographic display featuring a photo of a youth wearing a T-shirt saying 'Tough guys wear pink'.
Barcelona, Spain
Dom and Sandra, Manny's aunt and uncle, took him to Spain. On a visit to this incredible Gaudi cathedral they discovered a beautiful little chapel, then looked up to see Emanuel in the stained glass. Thank you for finding the perfect spot, for giving him your prayers, and for keeping him in your heart.
At school they often sang 'Veni Veni Emmanuel' and I always loved it.
Springbank Distillery, Scotland
Luca his uncle Dominic share a passion for whiskey. They took Manny with them on this distillery tour in Scotland.
Merano, Italy
Tough guys wear pink'. Manny toughed the primary school rules to wear his favourite colour pink.
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Pyramids, Egypt
Lorenzo and I rode out into the hills around the pyramids, stopping at this point to make a little cairn of rocks. Manny looks out over these wonders.
Indiprete, Italy
Claudio was a dear friend and second cousin of ours in Indiprete. He was one of the first to welcome us there and his mastery of English was a lifeline for me, starting out on my own journey of learning Italian. But it was Manny and Luca he really hit it off with- he was such a giant boy himself. There were so many silly moments shared. Sadly, Claudio too passed away, only 34. Together with his mother, Luisa, and his widow, Kristina, we placed Manny's ashes behind the little angel by Claudio's grave.
Tutankhamun's Tomb, Egypt
Lorenzo and I travelled to the Valley of the Kings, a short drive out into the desert from Luxor. Here we entered Tutankhamun's tomb.
Musikverein, Vienna, Austria
This stage has seen so many notes, so many cello pin scrapes and music stand tumbles. The scratches are deep, and it is here that Manny looks out. This is his view.
Bari, Italy
Claudio and Manny
Tomb 6 Ramses IX , Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Egypt.
Lorenzo and I travelled to the Valley of the Kings, a short drive into the desert from Luxor on the Nile. This owl's eyes seemed to be following me. I have left some of Manny in his care.
Hisma Desert, Saudi Arabia
On Boxing Day, Manny's cousins Livi and Chloe took him to the Hisma Desert. Such a place of beauty. As a boy, I know he would have taken off and tried to roll/run down. Now he sits there in the wind.
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore
I met a lovely young lady, through Manny's good friend Sam. Sara took Manny to this lovely garden in Singapore.
Hyde Park, London
Manny and his primary school friends loved playing under the trees in Fawkner Park. These trees in Hyde Park London reminded his best friend Zac of those days.
Hisma Desert
Mai Chau, Vietnam
Our friend and longtime colleague, Elise, travelled to Vietnam with her daughter Lily. They chose this lovely spot about 3 hours north of Hanoi.
New York, USA
Manny's favourite movie as a child was West Side Story, and in particular, he loved the dance scene. He had all the moves and would time his leap from the couch back with precision, yelling MAMBO! This is the church hall that inspired the scene.
Carnegie Hall, New York
Luca and I played in Carnegie Hall in a concert dedicated to a mother and son. Having one son there with me was magical, but we both really felt Manny's absence.
Central Park, New York
Shaarn and Che took Manny to this spot (Strawberry Fields) in Central Park. I visited the spot and left some more.
Nara, Japan
This was not one of the large temples within Nara deer park, but I liked it. It had the simple, rough aesthetic that I think Manny would like.
Carnegie Hall stage
Bamboo Forest, Kyoto, Japan
This temple was buzzing with visitors and was not the sort of place I would think of for Manny. But as I turned to leave I spotted a line of people waiting their turn to hug this big smooth rock. I am not sure what the reason for this was, but I loved the idea of Manny being hugged every day, so I lined up too and left him in one of the only cracks in the smooth surface.
Nara, Japan
I left him a message
Merano, Italy
As part of their European tour, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra played in Merano in the north of Italy. John found a lovely river flowing through town and left Manny there. Manny (like many boys) always loved throwing rocks in rivers.
Botanical Gardens, Nara
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Chloe Japan
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Naoshima, Japan
At a wonderful museum called Chichu I really saw how nature and art are in conversation, inspiring and framing. Then as if to underscore this sense, this beautiful scene was framed by the cafe window with an old gnarled tree that seemed to call for Manny.
Clifford's Tower, Baile Hill, York, England
Dominic and Sandra, Manny's uncle and aunt, took him to this beautiful hillside of daffodils.
Dad would have liked this spot. I can hear him now: I wandered lonely as a cloud, That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils.
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